Morgan McGarvey

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, a budget is a series of choices. Republicans are choosing to take healthcare away from 17 million Americans. Republicans are choosing to take food off the plates of hardworking families, kids, and seniors. Republicans are choosing to blow up the national debt by trillions of dollars. For what? All so the top 0.1 percent can pay even less in taxes. I don't ever want to hear a Republican say they care about rural America or the debt ever again if they vote for this bill. A budget is a series of choices and theirs are indefensible. I will vote ``no.''

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today as we consider bills that will strengthen the SBA and work to broaden services available to small businesses. These firms employ roughly half of the private workforce, create two-thirds of all new jobs, and generate almost half of our Nation's economic activity. These aren't just statistics. They are the foundation of our local economies, providing essential services, from plumbers and electricians to physicians, and making towns and cities across the country attractive places to live and work. They don't work on just their own behalf. They create millions of neighborhood jobs and reinvest in their local communities, from funding Little League teams to engaging in philanthropy. Over the past 4 years under the Biden administration, we saw a surge in startups, as over 21 million new small businesses were created, the vast majority of which were created by women, including women of color. These acts of hope for the future make our economy stronger and give us reason to celebrate. Unfortunately, the past few months have caused extreme uncertainty in the small business community. With so many new businesses starting, there is much more we could do on Capitol Hill to support their growth and flourishing. That is why I am pleased we are here to consider seven bipartisan bills that aim to strengthen SBA services, restore trust and accountability, and expand resources for disabled entrepreneurs. Turning to our first bill, while college affords opportunity for so many of our students, it isn't the only path to success. For students who are looking for in-demand skills that prepare them directly for the workforce, career and technical education programs can offer viable alternatives. These programs collaborate directly with local private- sector businesses and tailor curricula to the needs of the community. At a time when newly graduated students are seeing higher unemployment rates than the broader labor force, small businesses that rely on certain skills are still unable to find qualified workers. By directing small business development centers and women's business centers to provide educational information to small businesses about career and technical education programs, this bill will go a long way in meeting the labor needs of small businesses and also giving the graduates of CTE programs the tools they need to launch and grow their own successful startups. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Williams, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Bresnahan, and Mr. Tran for their work on this bipartisan bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Tran).

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close. I thank my colleagues, Chairman Williams, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. Bresnahan, and Mr. Tran, for their bipartisan effort to ensure small businesses have access to the skilled workforce coming out of local career and technical education programs. For years, small businesses have raised concerns about their ability to find workers with the best skills to staff their businesses. By leveraging our small business development centers and women's business centers, we can help connect promising graduates of CTE programs to small businesses in need. Moreover, we can help those graduates start and grow their own businesses. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1642, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In recent years, both SBA and Congress have directed changes to the small business contracting programs to increase accountability and ensure proper use. The WOSB Accountability Act will continue this work by moving the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program to full SBA certification. This bill is important to ensure that the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program works as intended, assists the companies as intended, and, ultimately, levels the playing field for women-owned firms competing for government contracts as intended. The data shows that women are starting and running new small businesses, generating revenue and jobs in their communities, and growing in increasingly diverse industries, but fewer and fewer are signing up to work with the government. Again, many more are leaving. Women-owned small businesses continue to make up a strikingly small share of Federal contracts, and the government continues to fail to meet the 5 percent goal of contracting dollars that Congress set three decades ago. Better leveraging the Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program to recruit and retain more small firms strengthens the entire industrial base, promotes competition, and drives innovation. Mr. Speaker, passing this bill today will do that. I urge all Members to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the distinguished ranking member of the Small Business Committee.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams) for their work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I close by thanking the ranking member from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for her leadership on this bill and her many years of work to create, strengthen, and enhance the Women-Owned Small Business program. I am pleased to support this bill and encourage all of my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representatives LaLota and Tran, for their work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the complexity of the government's procurement process and requirements can be overwhelming to small businesses, including those seeking a Federal contract for the first time. This government-speak, words we only find in government contracting documents like requests for proposals or solicitations, compound the complexity and may disincentivize firms from bidding. This bill attempts to add clarity by requiring documents to be written in a plain way that helps firms more easily understand what the government is buying. Small firms should not be put off from working with the government because available opportunities are not communicated clearly. We need more small businesses to bring their talent and innovation into Federal agencies, and I am hopeful this bill will contribute to that effort. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, we will put this in really plain words, since that is what the bill does. Small businesses need to be able to understand what is happening in these contracts. Having language that is easy to understand will enable them to apply for these contracts, which enables them to bring their talents and their innovation to bear in our Federal Government. Over the last decade, small businesses have been leaving at an alarming rate. Nothing we are doing is working to reverse that trend. In fact, the number of small business vendors in the government's ecosystem has been cut nearly in half. Having this bill will make it easier for small business owners, people who are already working around the clock, to make their business successful for themselves, their communities, and their employees. They will now have an easier chance of applying for a contract with the Federal Government. I am hopeful when this legislation is implemented, it will contribute to that goal. I thank the bill's sponsors. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Representatives Latimer, Alford, and Mfume, for their work on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, prior to this administration, government contracts provided small businesses with stability and predictability. The government was considered a reliable partner that could be trusted to keep its word and pay its bills. Yet even before the chaos of the Trump administration, there were times when requirements legitimately changed and something the government intended to buy or do was no longer necessary. In those previously rare instances, the government then canceled the solicitation. Unfortunately, any small business working on a bid lost all the time and money they had invested in the proposal. Last year, a small business owner testified that it cost him an average of $10,000 per proposal. If that solicitation was later canceled, the government did not have to provide him with any assistance or even any information. This bill will change that. While we cannot make small businesses whole, we can make sure they are given additional information and assistance to help them adjust their operations and plans moving forward and hopefully to continue their participation in the Federal market. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Latimer).

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, in closing, we know that providing a little more predictability and stability can help reduce the barriers that keep small businesses from bidding on and winning government projects. That is what this bill will do. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Mr. Latimer and Mr. Alford for their work to bring this to the floor today and to increase transparency and accountability for our small business government contractors. I urge my colleagues to support it, as well, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1804, the 7(a) Loan Agent Oversight Act. The 7(a) loan program is the SBA's largest traditional lending program, providing access to capital for small businesses that cannot find it elsewhere. In fiscal year 2024, SBA approved more than 70,000 loans, totaling more than $31 billion. Loan agents are an integral part of the 7(a) lending program, helping to facilitate access to capital for small businesses by connecting borrowers with SBA lenders or by offering other products. As of 2020, these agents helped facilitate 11 percent of the loans administered. Unfortunately, some dishonest loan agents can contribute to fraud, casting a stain on the SBA's largest lending program and, ultimately, hurting borrowers and lenders alike. As SBA increases its reliance on loan agents, it is essential that the agency have proper oversight of their involvement to minimize fraud. This will ensure that competent and honest agents can help screen borrowers, prepare forms, and better reach communities that need this capital most. That is why this bill is so essential. The 7(a) Loan Agent Oversight Act would require SBA to establish a registration system that collects data on 7(a) loan agents to better track and evaluate the performance of loans for each individual agent. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Meuser and Mrs. McIver for their bipartisan collaboration on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. McIver).

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Meuser and Mrs. McIver, for working together in a bipartisan way on behalf of strengthening the SBA's flagship 7(a) loan program. For too long, a few bad actors have damaged one of the most successful small business capital access programs in the Federal Government. By giving the SBA the tools and authority it needs, we can root out bad behavior and minimize fraud without punishing loan agents that are acting in good faith on behalf of their clients and helping small businesses access the capital they need to grow. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1804, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1634, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act. Although we have made considerable progress on bringing people with disabilities into the workforce, the numbers reveal how far we still have to go. Only 23 percent of the over 44 million individuals living with a disability are employed. This is not because they lack the skills or the willingness to work, but often because they face persistent structural barriers, such as discrimination, limited flexibility in the workplace, and inadequate transportation options, among others. While small firms employ half the private-sector workforce, they may face challenges of their own, such as outdated infrastructure or uncertainty about accommodations. Helping small firms hire people with disabilities can directly benefit their company and in turn boost the overall economy. This bipartisan bill requires that SBA collaborate with the National Council on Disability to help employers hire more people with disabilities and provide much needed support to these entrepreneurs. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber, Ms. Simon, Mr. Alford, and Mr. Pappas for their bipartisan collaboration on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Simon).

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues: Mr. Stauber, for sharing his story, for acting on behalf of his son and so many Americans with disabilities; Ms. Simon for her passion and her work in this area; and Mr. Alford and Mr. Pappas for their bipartisan work on improving entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Every individual, no matter their disability, deserves a shot at participating in our economy and getting that shot at the American Dream. Whether it is getting a job in a local small business or launching their own startup, this bill directs the SBA and the National Council on Disability to collaborate on ways to help individuals with disabilities do just that. By passing this bill, we can start clearing the structural barriers faced by people with disabilities, while growing the economy and helping small business owners. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1634, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 1621, the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Reporting Act of 2025. As vice ranking member of the House Committee on Small Business, I am proud to partner with Congressman Stauber, who has done incredible work in this area to support Americans with disabilities and help to ensure that every American has the same opportunity to become a successful entrepreneur. Mr. Speaker, this is, after all, the fundamental promise of the American Dream: that any person in this country can work hard, take risks, and hopefully find success. Yet, Americans with disabilities, like other underprivileged groups, see fewer opportunities to make their entrepreneurial dream a reality. There are 44 million people with disabilities in the United States. In my home State of Kentucky, approximately 18 percent of people have a disability. Yet, people with disabilities make up just 6 percent of our Nation's small business owners. We have to change that. Far too often, entrepreneurs with disabilities encounter significant barriers, both physical and intangible, when starting their own business, including having a harder time getting bank loans and start- up investments, inadequate support services, and insufficient outreach from Federal programs. We know this is just the tip of the iceberg and that more barriers exist. Today, nearly 2 million small businesses are owned by people with disabilities, but there could be so many more. Here is how: by improving the public programs that serve differently abled individuals and implementing policies that make work and entrepreneurship more accessible, providing accommodations, tackling ableism, and the list goes on. Mr. Speaker, to pull this off, our bill would require SBA to conduct a comprehensive study of the resources that are available to entrepreneurs with disabilities, examine their effectiveness, and determine what actions need to be taken to help support these entrepreneurs. By conducting this report, SBA will have the opportunity to revisit the effectiveness of their programs to ensure that our government better serves people with disabilities who want to start their own small business. This bill came together in a way that I think the Founders might have envisioned. Last Congress, the Committee on Small Business heard from my constituent Cody Clark, a small business owner, a disabilities rights advocate, and I think the only person who has ever performed a magic trick in front of our committee. He testified on the challenges that entrepreneurs with disabilities face based on his experience as an entrepreneur with autism, and this bill was born from his insight and experience. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical legislation for Cody and for every other American with their own entrepreneurial dream, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Chairman Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez, for this incredible work and, as Mr. Stauber said, allowing us to work together in this way. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber for his incredible work in this area and for his willingness to advocate for so many Americans, including his own child. It takes tremendous strength and courage. I thank the gentleman for working with me specifically on this important bipartisan piece of legislation to ensure that this Congress and the SBA do right by Americans with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurship is the hallmark of the American Dream. It is who we are--a land of opportunity for all. This bill takes a commonsense, bipartisan step toward improving government services for entrepreneurs with disabilities. By requiring the SBA to assess current programs and identify challenges and barriers that entrepreneurs with disabilities face, we lay the groundwork for a better, more inclusive society and economy. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. If we can make it easier for more people to start a small business, we will all benefit. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1621, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, 13.7 million Americans will lose their healthcare. We are going to gut America's premier antihunger program. It is going to add trillions of dollars to the Nation's debt. Mr. Speaker, you don't believe me? The Congressional Budget Office says it. My colleagues: Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Roy, and Mr. Massie all say this is going to add to the debt and to the deficit of this country, and for what? So Donald Trump's small circle of billionaire donors get a tax break. We know who it helps, but let's talk about who it hurts. Mr. Speaker, 40 percent of the people who get Medicaid in this country are children. That is whose healthcare we are taking away. It is the kids who rely on this for lifesaving care, kids like my constituent June who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. She has had three spinal cord surgeries in the last month. This enables her to stay at home with her family and to have a life. It will hurt children across this country. We shouldn't do it. We should vote ``no.''

Mr. McGARVEY

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 530, the ACES Act, as amended, a bill that would task the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with studying the frequency and mortality of cancer among individuals who served as air crew in the Armed Forces. I can't help but think of some of the giants of aviation our country has had: Admiral James Stockdale, Chuck Yeager, John McCain, the groundbreaking Women Airforce Service Pilots or WASPs of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, astronauts, including the crew of Apollo 11. As a nation, we have been lucky that people of this caliber have stepped up and stepped into the cockpit. Mr. Speaker, these veterans are some of the best our Nation has to offer. They are expertly trained to maintain, fly, and fight in their airframes. Aviators get the mission done, and they get it done no matter what. They do it under pressure, under fire, and under hostile conditions in the wind and the rain. They sometimes even land on a boat in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night with no lights. For 365 days a year, they are out there, keeping us safe. Military aviators do it all, and they do it better than anyone else. Unfortunately, there is a concerning trend among veteran aviators and aircrews. They are seeing troubling rates of cancer. Initial studies have shown increased rates of melanoma and pancreatic, prostate, brain, and thyroid cancers. The aircrew community also shows alarming diagnoses of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We have both a legal and moral obligation to take care of our veterans. Unfortunately, these veteran aviators are not getting the recognition they need and deserve from the VA. Often, these folks are forced to use their network of fellow veterans to share tips and tricks to get their care. They move through this new medical world with the gut feeling that they all could not be ill without their military occupation playing some role. This is unacceptable. We need data to help bridge the gap between anecdote and evidence for aviator cancers so pilots and aircrews can get the care and the benefits they deserve. That is what this bill hopes to achieve, and I strongly support it. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing the bill and for his service, and I encourage all of my colleagues to get behind this effort. While this is one affected community, we cannot forget the countless other veterans and families also fighting for their toxic exposures to be seen and addressed. I am thinking especially about my constituents who were stationed at Camp Lejeune or the intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, community, who suffer from cancer rates above nationwide averages; those who were exposed to radiation while working at the Nevada Test and Training Range; and veterans exposed to fuels in their water and molds in their walls while they lived in on-base housing during their service. These are all veterans who continue to carry hidden wounds from service that often don't show up until years after they take off the uniform. As we learn of these communities with toxic exposure and illness beyond the battle, we need to make sure that we have adequate systems in place to take care of them. This means a fully staffed and funded Department of Veterans Affairs. This means mental health professionals are in place to assist these veterans through traumatic and life- changing diagnoses. This means updated infrastructure in place to care for these veterans. For those who succumb to their diagnoses, this means a fully functioning VA to provide end-of-life care with dignity and compassion. Lastly, it means a VA to deliver for those survivors left behind, those who carry on through the pain and grief. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of those who have worked tirelessly to bring this issue to the attention of Congress. The ACES Act is definitely a step in the right direction. It is not a fix-all, but it will give affected veterans a fighting chance. In the near future, I hope we can do the same for so many other worthwhile populations, as well. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pfluger for bringing this bill to the floor, for his service to our country before coming to Congress, and for acting on behalf of all of our aviators who have taken off the uniform and are now fighting a different battle. Mr. Speaker, this bill is important for everyone who has ever climbed into or out of a cockpit in our United States military to keep us free. It will benefit every veteran. I am excited for the veterans in Louisville, Kentucky, where we have a lot of former aviators as the home of UPS' world hub. This will help everyone, including those people in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill that is not only happening quickly but, I will also note, is happening with bipartisan support. I yield back the balance of my time.